Thin Ice
by Mecoda
Summary: Elsa has new worries now that she's learned to control her powers. Her economy is crippled by the halt of trade with Weselton and a prince from the South Isles is coming to offer financial assistance on the condition of marriage. Just as Elsa is prepared to accept the Prince Fitz's proposal she learns he has another requirement. Fitz wants his brother, Hans, to be freed.


**Okay, hi! I'm Mecoda and this is my Frozen fanfiction. I hope you like it! Please read and review. **

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Queen Elsa had never been one for complaints but she felt just about ready to crack. Maybe it was the overwhelming August heat wave that swept over her kingdom, the droning of her monotone court officials or, perhaps, it was her distress at the oncoming arrival of her suitor.

The news of a prince arriving from the Southern Isles, home of the infamous Hans, had taken Arendelle by storm. It was known well throughout the powerful realms of the land that the king of the Southern Isles had his eyes on putting one of his brothers on the throne of her nation long before the incident with his youngest sibling. Now he had an excuse, or opportunity, if you will, to send a brother to 'apologize' to the newly crowned Queen. Elsa knew that 'apologize' actually meant woo. The worst part was that since the decline of her economy after the end of trade with Weselton the Queen was in no position to refuse a proposal from the rich prince. It was inevitable, Elsa would have to marry, for the good of her people and the monarchy. There was not much else that could be done.

As a cloud of chilling thoughts filled Elsa's head she failed to notice a stout little snowman approaching her. Olaf, her ever faithful creation tilted his head, eyeing the sorceress as she made an unintelligible expression. In a moment of misunderstanding he decided it was the heat. It had to be the heat the had pulled Elsa into this state of unrest.

"Are you melting?" He asked her in a hushed voice, pulling on the Queen's silky blue dress.

Elsa snorted out a dry laugh, turning to her little snow servant. "No, Olaf, people don't melt."

The officials, standing before Her Royal Highness, continued to speak blandly about whether or not the baker would be an adequate food supplier for the arriving prince's welcoming ball. They took no notice to the fact that their mistress' attention was obviously elsewhere.

"Then what do people do? Do they thaw?" Olaf spoke with childish wonder in his voice.

Elsa couldn't help but smile at him. "Sure, sweetie, let's go with that."

Clearly missing the sarcasm in her tone Olaf took he words at face value. With a second of thought he decided on the perfect solution. "Would you like to share my flurry?"

This time Elsa's smile was far more genuine. She gave a little giggle and leaned back in her tall throne, patting her knee. Olaf inhaled a gasp of glee, hopping into the Queen's lap. Elsa felt the cool relief of a miniature northern wind rush over her as tiny white flakes fell in her hair. She sighed, feeling the tiniest bit less irritable now that one of her problems was solved. She raised one small hand before brushing it through her platinum blonde hair. Her bangs slicked back before rearranging back into their wild pattern. Elsa remembered a time when these unruly strands of hair would have bothered her. Now she liked it. It was a symbol of her new found peace. She was a wild, untameable spirit. The only thing holding her from adopting a life of total liberty was her responsibility, natural grace and poise. Behaving in a regal manner was no longer a facade but an actual trait of hers. She was born to lead and everyone in her presence could tell. Not a soul in her company was left unaffected from her imperial aura...except Olaf.

The snowman sat happily on his 'mommy's' knee, swinging his stubby legs in boredom, like a toddler. He held his breath, puffing out his cheeks. He was glad to be here, helping Elsa in even the smallest manner, but he couldn't help but feel the discomfort of pure, unbridled dullness wash over him.

"Do you want to go skating?" Olaf asked the queen.

She frowned and shook her head. "No, sweetie, I have to stay here."

"Okay," Olaf said, looking back down to the ground. A moment passed before he raised his voice again. "How long do you have to stay here?"

"Until the officials stop talking," Elsa answered, bouncing Olaf playfully on her knee before turning her attention back to the tedious old farts before her.

"Oh...when will they stop talking?"

Elsa groaned. She had so enjoyed the companionship and coolness Olaf had brought to the room when he first approached her but she supposed nothing could last forever. "Would you like to go ahead without me?"

Olaf's eyes widened. "I couldn't!" He insisted. "I'd have no one to play with."

"What about Anna?" Elsa wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"She's being fitted for her wedding dress."

"And Kristoff?"

"Oh, oh, I asked him and..."

"And?" She inquired.  
"He said he was busy doing not-annoying stuff."

_Of course he did,_ Elsa thought to herself. _I guess I'm not the only one the heat's making grumpy._

"Well you go tell Kristoff that his Queen commands him to play with you."  
"Really!?"

Elsa nodded, laughing at the idea of her sister's grouchy fiance ice dancing with a stubby snowman.

Olaf laughed gleefully, sliding off Elsa's knee and waddling away from the throne. The courtiers shifted their weight in surprise, finally noticing the presence of Elsa's 'child' as he excused himself, pushing through their legs to exit the throne room.

Elsa shook her head, admiring the innocent little snowman's carefree nature. It reminded her so much of Anna when they were younger. In fact, it reminded her of Anna now too. She never really changed much. She was always so sweet, innocent and trusting. That could be a good thing but at the same time it made Elsa worry. What plots would Anna fall for in the future? How far would she go for someone she thought she could trust? This is why Elsa was glad her sister had Kristoff. However grouchy, snarky and pessimistic he might be he was good for her. Lately, though Anna herself never really changed, she could see the way she contemplated things had. Kristoff could bring her back down to reality when her head was just too far in the clouds. The Queen took comfort in the idea that Anna would be safe with her soon-to-be husband.

"Your Majesty," one of the elderly officials addressed her, bowing his head modestly as he did. "Shall we take a recess and discuss this further after tea."

Elsa smiled politely, grateful to this man who recognized the haze of unfocused boredom in the Queen's eyes.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea," Elsa said, rising from her throne.

Everyone fell to their knees as their ruler rose. Elsa walked through the path the courtiers and officials made for her to pass them. She stood with her head high, walking with the majesty and finesse of a royal barge on the fjords.

"You may be excused for the next hour," Elsa declared, opening the large mahogany doors and going to find her sister. They had much to discuss over tea concerning the Queen's affairs.

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Fitz held his black cape close around him, guarding himself from the cool dampness of the castle's underground cells. Never in his wildest dreams did the prince think he would ever visit the dungeon of the Southern Isles' imperial castle. Yet here he was. How had everything fallen apart so easily?

The last time Fitz had seen his twin brother, Hans, he had told of his plan to go to Arendelle and seduce the new Queen. Fitz knew it was a cruel plan. To marry for politics was one thing but to trick a fragile young woman, grieving the loss of her parents, into thinking he loved her, that was just cruel.

"But imagine what this would mean for us," Hans had replied to his brother's protests. "We could be out of here. I'll rule Arendelle and you can live in peace with us. We'll be safe."

Fitz gave in. It wasn't bad. It wasn't as though Hans would kill anyone...right? He was wrong. Fitz knew he was wrong to let Hans go but the damage was done. Now he was left to visit his brother one last time before he was leaving for Arendelle to marry the Snow Queen.

Fitz heard the dripping of water from the roof into a nearby cell. He heard familiar groans of complaint. It picked his interest. Fitz turned to see Hans, sitting on the floor of his cell, leaning against the wall. He watched as his sibling, younger than him by an hour, toyed with the shackles around his wrists. It broke prince Fitz's heart to see the bleeding scars where the shackles fit too tightly on him.

"Don't touch it," he advised. "You'll only make it worse."

Hans looked up with his dark, twisted face, the one he only showed to those who knew his true nature. When he saw it was Fitz there his expression softened.

"What brings you to my..." Hans looked around before chuckling humorlessly, "humble abode?"

"I wanted to say goodbye to you, Hans," Fitz choked on his words. Saying farewell to Hans was by far one of the hardest things he had ever done now.

The younger of the twins looked at Fitz, shocked. "Are you giving up on me? Is that it? I'll be executed?"

"No!" Fitz bellowed. "No! Definitely not! I will get you out of this cell."

Hans sighed relaxing and leaning back in his place against the wall. "Then you've talked to Elias about letting me go."

Fitz nodded. "He couldn't care less whether you live or die. It's all left up to whether Queen Elsa presses charges."

"She will," Hans hissed. "I guess it's out of our hands now. It's alright, Fitz."

"Wait," the elder of the two said, raising one gloved hand, signalling for his brother to stop and listen to him. "There's still hope. I'll be leaving for Arendelle. Nothing's official but it's most likely I will not be coming back."

Hans raised an eyebrow. "Our brothers are sending _you _to marry the Queen? Don't you think sending someone who looks exactly like me to marry her will rub them the wrong way?"

"Do you think that sending the next youngest, Franz, who is thirty years her senior might rub her the wrong way?" Fitz pointed out.

Hans shrugged. "Who knows, maybe she likes the silver foxes."

"Hans," Fitz chided him.

Hans raised his hands in the air, as high as the chains would allow him to. "Alright, alright, I'll stop. But how does you going to Arendelle help me?"

_Always looking for what helps him,_ Fitz frowned, thinking to himself. _This is just like Hans._

"If I can convince the Queen not to press charges Elias will let you go."

"I'll be disowned still," Hans grumbled, almost as though he expected Fitz to do something about that too.

"But you'll be alive," Fitz pushed. "That's the most we can ask for."

"How do you intend to convince Elsa not to press charges without jeopardizing the engagement?" Hans prodded at his brother's plan. "If you ruin the marriage our brother will kill both of us."

Fitz pressed his lips together and nodded. "I know, but what else can I do? I can't sit back and watch you die."

"Well look at this brotherly love," Hans teased.

Fitz winced, shaking is head. "What you did in Arendelle was disgusting," he spat out the words. "But you're still my brother. I regret to say that I love you."

Wasn't that his specialty, Fitz wondered inwardly. Hans was a brute. As children he was almost as abusive as his other brothers were but when someone in need of love, someone like Fitz or Anna, was put before them Hans could change. He could charm them into loving them undeniably and after he was certain they were at the point of no return he revealed his true nature. Fitz had seen it happen to countless people and still he himself had fallen victim to his brother. He'd go to the end of the Earth to protect him but deep down he loathed his manipulation with every fibre of his being.

"What a good boy you are," Hans mocked him. "You know, Anna said 'love will thaw.' Apparently it can freeze too."

Fitz didn't have the will to argue with him now. This time, for once, he wanted to be with the brother, the playmate, the protecter that Hans once was, not this twisted fiend. He found that the longer he spoke to him now the darker he became in the conversation. Fitz had to end it here before he went insane. This was not the way he wanted to remember his last encounter with Hans.

"Goodbye, brother," Fitz sighed, turning to leave.

"Goodbye," Hans whispered. "Fitzgerald."

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**I hope you enjoyed reading the introduction. Please review and tell me if you would like me to continue this story. Thanks for reading! :)**


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